Yo Unregistered: Join us for the April 1 meeting when it will be Recovery night. We will have demonstrations working with winching, recovery and spotting. We will meet at 7:30 p.m. at Jefferson County Fairgrounds (not Stevinson Toyota but nearby).

When Off Road Solutions did the 5VZ motor swap into the Chili, they were trying a few things for the first time. Amazingly, everything worked (ORS was good, RIP ).

The only exception was the crossover. The very first one was a bit of an experiment. Mike went with 2" tubing for flow, and emulated the appearance of the later factory crossovers. However, there was no flex coupling and after a while the crossover developed a crack and leak. Mike fixed it at great effort and no cost to me (the lack of body lift meant pulling the motor!).

The second generation crossover lasted MUCH longer. However, the area behind the driver's side manifold was a hot zone, and sure enough, after a while another exhaust leak happened. This time, the steel itself had eroded and a small hole formed in the paper-thin steel. Temporarily (and much more easily, since adding a 1" body lift) I patched it with sheet steel, but obviously the design would have to change.

So finally I am getting around to building a crossover out of a stock Toy crossover, ~1996-9 or so, with the stock flex coupler:

This is some info I gathered based on Squishy's initial research, for ceramic coating the crossover locally:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squishy!Applied Plastics: $235......................(303) 835-1611.......www.appliedplastic.com
5000 Tabor Street, Wheat Ridge, CO‎
-lots of different finishes
-prefers 'turbine coating', designed to be piston dome coating (!!!), titanium in color. Good to 2,000*F+. Advised against internal coating (?) because single coating is sufficient; retains the heat and increases velocity, actually keeping metal cooler. Nevertheless will spray down the first bends.
-flat black available
-$120 minimum most likely, needs to see
- 5-10 day turnaround
-spoke to Casey, in charge of automotive sales. Very impressive conversation, educational, seems to know his schiznit.
-also offers nylon coatings for racks/bumpers, 3x durability of powder coat, also for coilovers. Good release properties, nothing sticks.
They will be at the Tri-State Swap Meet, this coming weekend, at the Stockyards.

Premier Coating: $200.......................(303) 282-4451
1921 West Yale Avenue, Englewood, CO‎
-actual price for just the crossover, $125 (their minimum). Includes internal/external media blast, offers three colors.
--matte silver or matte black, good to 2,000*F
--polished silver, good to 1,300*F
-they can color the flex coupling or leave it masked. Coloring does not affect flex.
-Tony is the owner and was quite helpful and friendly.

Bill, here is a pic of the latest version of my crossover. I am going to have it ceramic coated inside and out prior to installation. They claim if you coat the headers and crossover it lowers the engine compartment temp by 30 degrees. I am not doing the headers.

I believe them on the temperature estimates... Buell motorcycles run hot on the right inner thigh, much improved by reworking the fuel maps... and entirely eliminated by ceramic coating the headers!

If this goes nice, I may have to do the Buell, though the remap makes it quite tolerable.

The outfit is called Jet Hot Coatings in Tempe, Az. I think they have facilities in other places, too. Phone is 800-432-3379. He estimated about $75, but needs to see it to finalize price. Just sent it off today. I will take a pic and post when I get it back.

My headers on the 40 are ceramic coated and it is amazing how cool they are with the engine warmed up. Pics are pre and post power steering, but you get the idea. T

Taking it in to Premier today. I guess I appreciated that they are big enough... and close to home. He really did not think coating the flex coupling would result in flaking, and has done quite a lot of ceramic coating. Probably any of them would do a fine job.

Nothing wrong with Jet Hot, for sure. They have a good reputation in the motorcycle world.

If this turns out nice, I may pull the headers (and the muffler I built) on the bike and have them done too.

Wow, very interesting experience. Got to meet Tony. The facility is pretty basic. Tony, however, is very plainspoken and educated me on how and why ceramic coating works. You know how it didn't make sense to me that coating the OUTSIDE protects the INSIDE... but I could live with not understanding that?

Turns out, in Tony's opinion, it doesn't work. He said if someone doesn't coat the inside, they are giving you half of what you are paying for. He will spray the inside, but if he can't get good coverage that way he closes off one end, pours in the inside coating, and sloshes it to ensure coverage. Also he uses a different product for the inside, kind of a grey-green coating. He explained the oven cure process, and that final cure happens in the presence of exhaust gas (hotter).

There are two sources of coating materials per Tony; everyone buys from one guy, or the one Tony buys from. Stuff stinks of ammonia like none other.

He said coating the flex joint won't result in flaking off as it flexes. HUH! We will see.